The ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with The Gambia’s National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Coordinating Centre (NCCRM), a key player in The Gambia’s security landscape, recently convened a pivotal 3-day workshop aimed at enhancing the ECOWAS Protection and Human Security Integrated Coordination Mechanisms (ECO-PHSICM).

Held from June 26th to 28th, 2024, the workshop reviewed progress since ECO-PHSICM’s inception in 2021 and crafted an updated Implementation Roadmap for 2024-2026.

Madam Binta Singhateh, Director of NCCRM, underscored the workshop’s significance in tackling diverse protection and human security challenges faced by The Gambia and across the ECOWAS region, including but not limited to [specific challenges].

The event received a commendation for its proactive approach to safeguarding vulnerable groups’ rights.

Representing Dr. Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, ECOWAS Director for Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Mr. Olatunde Olayemi emphasized the mechanism’s role in promoting human security outlined in ECOWAS treaties. He highlighted ECOWAS’s unwavering commitment, including a USD 25,000 grant to support NCCRM’s coordination efforts, ensuring a secure future for regional security.

Ambassador Miatta Lily French, ECOWAS Resident in The Gambia, stressed human security’s centrality to regional stability, echoing sentiments from ECOWAS’s 49th Anniversary Celebration themed ‘Enhancing Regional Unity, Peace and Security’. She urged stakeholders to effectively utilize ECOWAS funding to operationalize ECO-PHSICM for improved regional security.

Mr. Samba C. Mballo, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Vice President of The Gambia, hailed the workshop’s outcomes, emphasizing the adoption of a tailored Implementation Roadmap as a significant milestone towards practical solutions for regional challenges, instilling optimism about the future.

Key stakeholders from the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NAATIP) and the Network Against Gender-Based Violence (NGBV) also contributed insights during the workshop. Sessions covered critical topics, including risk assessment, stakeholder roles, community engagement strategies, gender mainstreaming, and project evaluation under ECO-PHSICM.

The workshop concluded with adopting an action plan to implement The Gambia’s protection and human security roadmap, which includes specific measures to enhance regional stability and resilience. This signals a renewed commitment to regional stability and resilience, with concrete steps outlined for the coming years.